Consumer-oriented (wearable) sleep technology: a systematic SWOT analysis and recommendations for athletes and fitness enthusiasts
Abstract
Sleep is a key determinant of health, recovery, and performance, yet sleep disturbances are prevalent in both athletic and general populations. With the rapid expansion of consumer-oriented (wearable) sleep tracking technologies, this study aimed to systematically synthesize current evidence and derive best-practice recommendations for their use in physically active populations. A systematic literature search (PubMed, Scopus, EBSCO) identified 21 eligible studies, which were analyzed using a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) framework. In total, 9 strengths, 12 weaknesses, 8 opportunities, and 8 threats were extracted. When applied correctly and longitudinally, consumer wearables can provide meaningful insights and support sleep self-management, however, if applied incorrectly, consumer wearables risk misinterpretation and inappropriate training or recovery decisions. Future research should prioritize rigorous validation, and context-specific applications, alongside development and evaluation of user education strategies to ensure optimal use of consumer-oriented (wearable) sleep technologies.
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Evidence Hub reads this as a systematic review, done in people. Its evidence level is 1 of 5 (Highest · pooled evidence). Pooled evidence from several studies sits at the top of the evidence pyramid.
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